Kokand, October 23, 1876
... On July 18 [1876], at 4 a.m., I moved the vanguard of the Osh column (a sapper team, a dismounted rocket platoon, and Shabdan's horsemen) from the camp on the Lenjir River (Karjik), under the command of Captain Bogolyubov; an hour later, the 3rd and 4th companies of the 1st Turkestan Rifle Battalion set out; the pack train, due to reports of the extreme difficulty of the upcoming road, was left at the camp under the cover of the Siberian half-company and a mountain artillery piece.
However, contrary to expectations, the enemy did not offer any resistance on the route of the detachment, and the area at the confluence of the Shot River with the Ak-Buroy River, which was covered by a strong stone barrier, was occupied by us without a shot being fired.
This area served as a resting place for a large gathering of the enemy and showed clear signs of their recent presence.
Our horsemen captured several people from the enemy's pickets during this advance, who indicated that the enemy, at dawn, upon learning of the Russian advance from three sides, fled up the Shot.
Since there were auls about 10 versts up the Shot that constituted the contingent of the gang, I directed the vanguard from the area to punish them in the Shot gorge in a timely manner, which captured livestock from the recently fled inhabitants.
I deemed it fair to reward the numerous horsemen of our detachment and their main and influential leaders, such as Batyr-bashi, Chustsky Ishan-Pansat, and several others, with this livestock.
These people brought us much benefit and were well compensated, so their reward, at every opportunity, is both deserved and significant for attracting the locals to our service. The brave and worthy Shabdan, who arrived with 25 horsemen from Tokmak and offered his services, refused his share of the spoils, saying that he came to serve, not to take. Soon, after the vanguard of the Osh column set up camp near the occupied aul on the Shot, the column of Major Ionov, coming from Lyangar, emerged through the Tiau Jaiylu gorge...
... On July 27, the detachment was given a day off at Sofi-Kurgan; from here, his brother Hassan-bek was sent to Abdullah-bek, who had arrived in our camp a day earlier to continue negotiations initiated with Shota, through Shabdan's brother — Baybusun.
On July 28, the detachment crossed to Uch-Tyube in full strength, as Sofi-Kurgan was not occupied by me due to changed circumstances. The mountain platoon, due to a better road from Shota and the resourcefulness of the officer, followed with us, albeit with difficulty.
During the stay at the camp at Uch-Tyube, a horseman arrived from Shabdan, sent the day before with Hassan-bek to Abdullah-bek's camp, with a report about the failure of the negotiations.
There was a disagreement in the gang: Abdullah-bek was inclined to surrender, while the other rebels did not agree to this, and after an open fight, the entire party retreated to Kyzyl-art, capturing Shabdan's brother with his two horsemen. This occurred in the presence of Shabdan, who was standing on the opposite bank of the Kyzyl-art River; he pursued the rebels, despite his brother being in their captivity, cut down several men, and seized one banner from them.
Shabdan's brother, at the insistence of Hassan-bek, who was favored and gifted by me, was nevertheless released by the rebels.
Upon receiving the first news about Shabdan, I dispatched the adjutant to the regiment, Colonel Prince Wittgenstein, with half a company of mounted riflemen, the 1st hundred, and 2 rocket teams, from Uch-Tyube on the evening of July 28. Both for Prince Wittgenstein's detachment and for the column, the route to Archat Davan was chosen for the next day, although it was more difficult than through Taldyk Davan, but the shortest.
On July 29, the Gulchinskaya column ascended the Archat-Davan pass, from which a large part of the Alai valley, covered with grass and cut by the red streams of Kyzyl-Suu, was visible, and directly in front of us rose the giant chain of the Za-Alai mountains, covered with eternal snow, among which stood out Kaufman's peak.
That day, the column camped on the banks of Kyzyl-Su. Communication with the detachment of the adjutant to the regiment, Colonel Prince Wittgenstein, who was near Kyzyl-art, was immediately restored; and the next day, July 30, the entire Gulchinskaya column concentrated at the Kyzyl-art River. The adjutant to the regiment, Colonel Prince Wittgenstein, the day before captured several hundred sheep from the supporters of the rebellious bies, ensuring the detachment's supply of meat.
Since on the same day I received information that the enemy, fleeing across Kyzyl-art to Kara-kul, was not far from us, I dispatched Captain Bogolyubov at 6 p.m. on July 30, with 30 horsemen of Shabdan, to carry out a surprise attack, and if it failed, to delay the enemy, engaging them with minimal forces until our reserves arrived, which, consisting of a mounted rifle division and a rocket team, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Prince Wittgenstein, set out at 10 p.m. on the same July 30.
Captain Bogolyubov, having traveled 30 versts, captured an enemy picket, which indicated that the enemy had taken advantage of the last day and was already very far away. At 5 a.m. on July 31, Captain Bogolyubov arrived at Lake Kara-kul, 65 versts from our camp, in an area of the same name, representing an extremely elevated and vast plain, enclosed by snowy mountains.
At noon on July 31, the adjutant to the regiment, Colonel Prince Wittgenstein, arrived at Kara-kul. The detachment discovered traces of the enemy, indicating their presence about a day ago. According to the testimony of those captured the day before, the enemy had divided into two parties from Kara-kul: one, under the command of Suranchi, Mulla-ashir, and Buta-bek, fled over the Alten-Dy pass to Karatigen, while the other party, consisting of a handful of Abdullah-bek's supporters, fled down the Chon-Su River gorge. The adjutant to the regiment, Colonel Prince Wittgenstein, decided to pursue the latter with 20 mounted riflemen and Shabdan's horsemen, returning the remaining forces to the Gulchinskaya column's camp near Kyzyl-art. Prince Wittgenstein, through the Kur-Chak and Chon-Su gorges, arrived with his team on August 1 at 3 p.m. at the end of the last gorge, 70 versts from Kara-kul. The enemy fled so hastily, having pack horses, that Prince Wittgenstein did not catch them at Chon-Su; the rebels fled into the Tuyu-Su gorge leading through a desolate area into Kashgar and Shumansky territories. Their trail was lost, but the bey of the Mungush clan, Pulat, with a letter from Abdullah-bek's mother, went to search for him further. Prince Wittgenstein, seeing the impossibility of further pursuit, decided to return.
Meanwhile, I received a report at the camp on the Kyzyl-Su River from Prince Wittgenstein that he intended to wait at Chon-Su for those sent for Abdullah-bek with a letter from the Kipchak tribe, in the Kashgar territories. Based on this, on the evening of the 24th, I moved a half-company of mounted riflemen and a rocket team, as well as provisions, to join Prince Wittgenstein, as our detachment at Chon-Su had already consumed horse meat.
Prince Wittgenstein joined the reinforcements sent to him at Kara-Kul.
During the stop at Kyzyl-art and while waiting for the arrival of the Osh column, I was engaged in administrative arrangements.
Of the three tribes migrating in the large and small Alai, Mungush and Adigine, their representatives came to me on July 31 to express their submission.
However, representatives of the majority of the Ichkilintsy, with the exception of some subdivisions migrating mainly around settled centers, did not come to me.
The nomadic population of the Osh district that expressed submission received, according to your excellency's orders, aman with the obligation:
1) To pay zakyat at one and a half times the rate, whereby they are obliged to pay 6 rubles for a ram instead of the 4 rubles I had previously set.
2) To construct a wheeled road from Gulchi through Taldyk-davan to the valley of the Kyzyl-Su River, following the example of the Osh-Gulchi road.
3) To provide as a contribution 150 horses suitable for military service for the mounted riflemen; this condition was immediately fulfilled.
Regarding the fulfillment of the first two conditions by the Mungush and Adigine, I also have no doubts...
Sincerely: Acting Chief of Staff, General Staff Major General [signature]
Verified: Acting Senior Adjutant of the General Staff Captain [signature]
CGA KR. F.75. Op.1.D.53. JI.34, 46-47, 50-54. Copy.
Shabdan Baatyr